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Topic: Build a 'dropbox'-like system? (Read 13443 times)

Hello,I am new to unRAID but am excited to have built my own system--I may even post pics! Besides the obvious use of media server, I would also like to try to use unRAID to sync files from my development laptop(s) to the unRAID server over the Internet, similar to the way I use Dropbox. I like Dropbox, but I wondered if it were possible to build something similar. I realize that there may be many 'moving parts' to this and perhaps the concept is a foolish one overall, but I am merely curious if it could be done and what might be the best way to achieve this goal. Currently I am looking at using:a) Freefilesync w/real-time-monitor on Windows (I use this already, so I'm familiar with it but not married to it)b) something called ExpanDrive for Windows (SFTP destination mapped as a Windows drive-letter); it's not free ($39/each)c) proftpd installed on unRAID through unMENU?

Looking at this "Rube Goldberg-esque" list of moving parts, I feel that perhaps there might be a better way. So I leave it to the experts here to come to my aid, if possible. Any suggestions would be most appreciated, even if the answer is to abandon the idea. Thank you for reading!--Jeff

I should have further clarified that I wish to have my unRAID act in a manner similar to the dropbox servers, whereby i would no longer have a need to use dropbox and certainly overcome the space limit of 2GB or one of their paid subscriptions. Since I will have TB of disk space, I wish to access it anywhere I have my client setup. So, for example, while I am at work, I would like to have access to my unRAID to place files that I may wish to access at home when I get home. My PC at work should "monitor" a folder of my choice and send the changes to my unRAID at home periodically.

I'm on a Mac and I use Transmit (http://www.panic.com/transmit) to mount my unraid server as a drive via SSH (SSH is obviously installed on the unraid server and router forwards SSH traffic). It's invisible to the OS, in fact I have iTunes running now using my library at home.

Hey Guys, I joined dropbox and I love it. It really would be great to have a system setup for access via a web interface. If you dont have dropbox, you should at least give it a try. Here is my referral link if you want to join and check it out. When you use the link both you and I get an extra 250MB on top of our 2GB for when unRAID starts to support it

If you do not want to use dropbox (2-5GB free limit) there is also iFolder open source.I think you need suse though. It used to be part of Novell/Suse, and has recently benn revived by Kablink. I want my unraid server to be my dropbox server.http://www.kablink.org/download#

Anyone know if you can have multiple drop box accounts on the same computer (personal, bus)?

Dropbox used to have a statement in their terms of service that basically stated that they owned any files you uploaded to it and had the right to sell those files in the event of an acquisition. Anyone know if that is still true? I skimmed the TOS just now and didn't see it this time.

Dropbox used to have a statement in their terms of service that basically stated that they owned any files you uploaded to it and had the right to sell those files in the event of an acquisition. Anyone know if that is still true? I skimmed the TOS just now and didn't see it this time.

I think that was probably more fear-mongering than anything else. Their privacy policy states that they might sell/transfer/share your personal information. That's been interpreted to mean your files by people that didn't read the first part of the privacy policy, which pretty clearly describes "personal information" in a way that doesn't include your files. Their terms do, however, explicitly state they don't assert ownership over your files.

Still, sites can change their terms of service at any time (actually, I can't find a nice disclaimer to that effect in their terms, but I assume it has got to be there somewhere). So, if you don't trust Dropbox not to sell things you don't want them to sell, you shouldn't use them.

The clause about selling personal information is pretty standard. I suspect you'd find that language in almost any commercial site that collects personal information. I'm not sure if removing that clause would even change anything legally. I think customer databases would still be considered assets in bankruptcy court. When CompUSA and Circuit City went under their customer databases were sold off.

In any event, I'm curious about getting Dropbox-like functionality with unRAID. Basically, I'd like to keep my "My Documents" folders synchronized across my laptops and desktop. I'm a dropbox user too, but I don't use that for a couple reasons. First, because I'm just a free user and I have more than 2 gigs of stuff in my "My Documents" folder. A second, while I might be willing to pay for Dropbox, you can't have it monitor arbitrary folders without doing weird hacks. iFolder looks like it might be a good option, but I'm curious if anyone has used it with unRAID.

Watch out for Sparkleshare in the coming year, if its development continues along at a reasonable pace. It's essentially trying to be a free/open-source Dropbox built on top of a git backend. They've got an alpha for Linux and a teaser screenshot of a Mac client sitting in the menubar.

Watch out for Sparkleshare in the coming year, if its development continues along at a reasonable pace. It's essentially trying to be a free/open-source Dropbox built on top of a git backend. They've got an alpha for Linux and a teaser screenshot of a Mac client sitting in the menubar.